Lower Kan was never stocked with rainbows or cutts expecting them to establish a self-sustaining population. For many years no one even knew there was any spawning going on at all in the spring. In the '80s huge numbers of rainbows were dumped in on a put and take basis. Today we have a very small number of adults spawning in less than optimal conditions. Recruitment of young back to the population is marginal. These are not wild fish that require the same protection as the Bull trout. While the concern over keeping "spawner sized" fish does have some merit, the regulations have always allowed folks to keep "spawner sized" fish. New regulations are not changing this fact. In the case of Lower Kan, natural reproduction will never occur at a level to maintain a significant rainbow population. Regulation changes to protect smaller fish will allow a greater percentage of fish to escape to a size over 20" and provide many more fish under 20" to offer entertainment to the masses.
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